Time to teach

21 March 2016

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Think a minute...A policeman made this observation: “From the violence and destruction of property by kids today, you would think they have no fathers.” Late one night a young man was involved in a crime and his father came to the police station upset about his car being held as evidence. The shocked policeman said to the father: “You’re worried about your CAR? How about your SON?” But the father just shrugged his shoulders and said: “Just close my car windows in case it rains.”

Fortunately, other sons are blessed with a mature, good father who takes the time to love and teach his son well—like the man who testified: “The biggest influence in my life was my father. He spent a lot of time teaching me how to be an honest, good man. When I was a boy, every evening my dad spent an hour with my brother and me teaching us, including reading something from the newspaper and then explaining it. This hour with my dad every evening lasted until I became an adult. It is all the more amazing since my father had only an eighth-grade education!”

A father can even help his son find his career by taking the time to help his son discover and develop his own natural abilities. Mickey Mantle, one of the greatest professional baseball players ever, was deeply influenced by his father. Mantle wrote: “When I was just five-years-old, Dad began to teach me all my baseball skills…Every day after work he spent several hours playing with me. And when I hit the ball over the house, he and my grandfather counted it as a homerun. But Dad did more than teach me baseball—he taught me confidence. When I was just 15, he let me play with him and the other men on the local baseball team.” Mickey Mantle’s father took the time to teach his son, and it paid off in a big way.

Dad, your influence will never rub off on your son if you are not close enough to him to make it happen. You only get a few years to build his character and confidence, so each and every day is the time to teach. The time you waste and lose with your son is gone forever! You only get one chance to love and teach your son how to be a real man who is honest, kind, and courageous. So Dad, don’t lose one more day! Right now ask Jesus to forgive you for your wrong living and failing to be the father your son needs. Only Jesus can start changing your heart and character so you can make the most of the time you have left to show and teach your son well. Just think a minute…